Conor McGourty was the hero as St Gall's booked their place in the All-Ireland Club Championship final after a thrilling extra time win over Connacht champions at Parnell Park in Dublin on Saturday night.
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St Gall's 1-15 Corofin 1-11
McGourty posted a personal tally of 1-9 as the west Belfast side earned themselves a meeting with first time finalists Kilmurry Ibrickane who beat Portlaoise in last week's first semi-final.
Read Colm McAlinden's blog: Coro-finished
Afterwards McGourty refused to hog the limelight and instead insisted it was a team effort as St Gall's reached the St Patrick's day showpiece for the first time since 2006 when they lost by a point to Salthill at Croke Park.
"This wasn't about me or the players only - it's for everyone connected with the club and that includes the men who make the tea, the committee and the supporters," said 'CJ' afterwards.
"We've come on a lot since our last appearance in the final. There were times in the past when we'd lie down after a team came back at us like they did tonight. But we are a much more mature outfit now.
"I think it's great for GAA that we've now got a team from Antrim and one from Clare in the final.
"We'll enjoy this win tonight and then buckle down to training again next week.
"I think our superior fitness in extra time proved the difference and all those gruelling runs at Barnett's Park (in Belfast) were worth it now", he added.
St Gall's showed admirable character to stay in the game after being reduced to 14 players when Anthony Healy was sent off in the 47th minute after a second bookable offence.
Healy came on again for extra time as the rules permit and then crucially Corofin lost a man when Galway county player Gary Sice was dismissed for an off the ball challenge three minutes into the first additional 10.
After Kieran Comer had put Corofin ahead in the second minute of the game, CJ McGourty replied with 1-2, his goal coming in the 14th minute.
He had his brother Kevin to thank for the assist as the latter charged down an attempted clearance and passed swiftly to CJ who fisted the ball into the net.
Two exquisite scores from Kieran McGourty and Sean Burke added to one from CJ McGourty helped the Ulster champions into a 1-5 to 1-2 lead at the break, Corofin's goal coming from Comer a minute from half time after a quickly taken free from Alan O'Donovan.
But Sean Kelly's opening score after the restart was followed by five from Corofin with only one in reply as the underdogs drew level by the 49th minute, 1-7 to 1-7.
A superb point by CJ McGourty off his less favoured right boot in the 59th minute looked to have won it for St Gall's but Sice levelled in stoppage time with an excellent effort before blotting his copybook with that red card at the start of extra time.
Tired Corofin legs and St Gall's having the extra man began to dictate matters thereafter and a further two points from CJ McGourty along with scores from Paul Veronica and Kelly clinched the Antrim men a famous victory.
Allianz National Hurling League
Division 2 results: Sunday 28 February
- Wexford 2-23 1-12 Down
- Kildare 2-07 1-19 Antrim
- Laois 1-11 2-12 Clare
- Carlow 5-17 1-10 Westmeath
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